


Heartbreaker

by nxymxrjr (KingPreussen)



Category: Football RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Girlfriends/No Wives, Eventual MSN, Jealousy, M/M, Misunderstandings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-17
Updated: 2016-08-28
Packaged: 2018-06-02 18:24:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 12,013
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6577501
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KingPreussen/pseuds/nxymxrjr
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>Antoine Griezmann, a forward just slightly older than him, just slightly taller than him. He probably thought he was just slightly better than Neymar, too, but Neymar was ready to defend his place as part of the greatest forward trio in the world.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>Or something. It was probably just the excess energy talking.</i>
</p><div class="center">
  <p>---</p>
</div>Luis and Lio make a mistake; Luis is willing to fix things but Lio keeps digging himself deeper. Neymar doesn't know what to think.
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> this is my first published football story but jsyk i'm working on plenty more. msn is love, msn is life. and you'll probably see a lot of other ships from me too
> 
> directly inspired by [this photoset](http://the-fuckboy-dynasty.tumblr.com/post/136000421657/six-refs-msn), because, i mean... wow

Neymar adjusted his headband and zipped up his jacket, feeling restless before the game. He felt restless before every game, really; Luis and Lio were more the "waiting patiently like adults" type. If he wasn't running around or goofing off Neymar was probably sleeping, and there wasn't an option to do any of the three right now.

It didn't help that one of the players on the other team wouldn't stop fucking… _looking_ at him. Antoine Griezmann, a forward just slightly older than him, just slightly taller than him. He probably thought he was just slightly better than Neymar, too, but Neymar was ready to defend his place as part of the greatest forward trio in the world.

Or something. It was probably just the excess energy talking.

Griezmann snuck another glance and him and he glared back, fighting the urge to hide behind Luis.

"You ready?" Lio asked. Neymar blinked over at Griezmann one last time, and then turned to face his friends. "Athletico aren't an easy team to beat."

Luis smirked. "Their last three wins were one-zeros. I'm pretty sure we can outscore them."

Neymar stuck his tongue out, earning a chuckle from both of them that warmed him more than his jacket. "Don't wanna jinx it," he reminded them with false seriousness. Luis rolled his eyes like he always did when Neymar mentioned his superstitions but didn't say anything further.

Instead, his eyes flicked over Neymar's shoulder and back. He leaned forward, hand cupped around his mouth, and Neymar leaned forward as well on instinct.

"Griezmann," he murmured. "You know he's been staring at you?"

One of Neymar's canines peeked over his lower lip as he gnawed on it. "I saw. He's not a defender," he replied as Lio quite blatantly looked over to where Atletico were gathered on their own side of the conference area. "So I don't know why he'd want to mess with me."

"Oh, no, I don't think…," Luis said, turning Neymar with a gentle hand on his shoulder. "I don't think that's what he wants."

Griezmann was looking over at him _again_ , but this time, when he saw all three of MSN staring back at him, he turned a brilliant scarlet and walked away in the opposite direction. It almost seemed like… but no. Neymar shifted from foot to foot and looked over at Luis again.

"You don't think he-- about me?"

Lio looked at him in that unflinching way of his, dark eyes unreadable. "I think so." Lio smiled slightly. "You should go for it."

Neymar stared at the spot Griezmann had vacated moments before. This was _completely_ different. Sure, Griezmann was cute, and he seemed like a nice guy, but they were about to play against each other. Really, they couldn't even hint at anything indecent in this kind of situation.

After another second of deliberation, Neymar huffed a breath walked across the imaginary divide between the teams and their staff, determined to find out where Griezmann went.

If he had been paying a bit more attention to his two friends behind him, he would have heard their muffled laughter.  
\---  
"Where is he?" Luis said almost to himself. It wasn't that he hated practically being Neymar's minder, but when they were fifteen minutes from a game he was already keyed up and missing a Brazilian wasn't helping matters.

Lio paused at the top of the stairs that led to the tunnel. "He's here. Is that…?" Luis peered over his shoulder and was pretty sure he felt the same way as Barca's number 10.

Griezmann was standing entirely in Neymar's personal space, one hand pressed against the wall near Neymar's waist and the other running through his own hair, and Neymar didn't seem to mind at all. He had a little nervous, lopsided smile on his face and a red stain high on his cheeks while Griezmann looked the picture of relaxed and confident.

"I didn't think he would really…" Lio attempted to say, but again he was tongue-tied by his own thoughts. Lio wasn't known for pranks or tricks and therefore, Luis supposed, he wasn't used to them going wrong either.

Really, it was a miracle the doors to the tunnel were still closed. The noise from the fans outside was loud enough that they couldn't hear what Griezmann was now whispering into a wide-eyed Neymar's ear, but Neymar's shy answering grin was enough of a clue.

Lio straightened his jersey and started purposefully down the stairs; Luis couldn't see his expression but he had a feeling he wasn't happy. And to tell the truth, Luis wasn't happy either. He followed Lio two steps behind until he was a few feet from Griezmann.

Apparently Neymar's favorable reaction to… _whatever_ this was gave Griezmann more confidence than Luis thought he should have. Neymar startled a bit at the sight of them, but soon smiled brightly. "Luis, Lio. You know Antoine."

" _Antoine_ ," Lio said in the same derisive tone Luis was thinking it. "A pleasure."

"Ney says he thought I had something against him," Griezmann said with a sharp smile as his hand shifted from the wall to Neymar's side. He squeezed once, gently, Neymar looking up at him with stars in his eyes, and then he pulled away to face Luis and Lio fully. "I think you're all incredible strikers but Ney… he's going to be something more than that."

How did this get so backward? Neymar looked livid that Griezmann wouldn't fuck off just an hour before and now he looked like he'd found his soulmate in the Frenchman. "Yes, he is," Lio said frostily. "Neymar, can I talk to you for a second?"

Neymar frowned just slightly. "Sure." He said something to Griezmann under his breath and got a laugh and a kiss bussed across his cheek in return. Luis watched Lio's knuckles turning white from the pressure he was putting into clenching his fists.

Griezmann was the one to leave, making his way back up the stairs and into the lobby where his teammates were still waiting. Neymar watched him go, and then smiled sunnily at his two partners. "What's up?"

Luis had never seen Lio look so genuinely angry at his own teammate before. "We have a game to play in ten minutes. Or did you forget?"

Neymar blinked in confusion, his frown returning. "No… how could I forget?"

"Just the thought of _Antoine_ could have knocked any other thought that lives in your pretty little head. If any more than one can fit."

"Lio, stop," Luis said, pulling Lio back by his shoulder. Neymar was shaking his head very slowly. "Just stop, we're the ones who told him--"

"He should learn how to be an adult and not a teenager. Every little boy and girl that bats their eyelashes at you doesn't actually _like_ you."

Luis finally just stood between Lio and his target, who looked inches from tears. Anyone with eyes knew that Neymar idolized Lio, and to hear this kind of unfounded abuse must have been crushing. "What the fuck has gotten into you?"

Lio took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Now that Neymar was out of his line of sight he seemed to be calming down. "Sorry. I… sorry."

"Fuck off," Neymar said. Luis just caught sight of him wiping his eyes with the backs of his hands before he ran all the way back up the stairs and out of sight.

Luis knew he couldn't place all the blame on Lio but the way he blew up at Neymar was uncalled for. "I think we should apologize," he said softly, waiting until Lio opened his eyes again to gesture toward the stairs. "He's like a kid, you know that. And he loves you more than anything."

"No, he doesn't." Lio ran an anxious hand through his hair before turning his back on Luis and walking up the stairs as well.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Antoine stepped closer to him, enough that he had to look up to maintain eye contact, and someone wolf-whistled from behind him. Neymar tried to glance back and see who it was but Antoine's hand caught him in an imitation of Lio's hand on his cheek._
> 
> _A pale imitation. Neymar tried not to think about that._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you so much for all the positive reactions! im still working on my characterizations for the players (because even though this is "rpf" we all know its pure fiction) but i think im moving toward where i want to be.

They won, and it was a good win. Lio scored twice and Neymar got one for their side, and Griezmann scored a glory goal in the 80th minute. There was no time for apologies once the game got started, and at half-time Neymar seemed to single-mindedly avoid both Luis and Lio.

He even took the time to walk down the stairs into the tunnel with Griezmann instead of the rest of Barcelona; they traded shirts and Lio was afraid he would break something with how unreasonably angry it made him. 

Lio knew he was being selfish. For one, he didn't _own_ Neymar. Maybe he got used to the younger man's constant and free praise. Or maybe he just needed to come forward and say something about his feelings… whatever they were, before Neymar really did belong to someone else. Lio toed off his spikes and pulled his socks and shin pads off, rubbing his leg and wincing. Atletico weren't the type of team to let Barcelona win without a few war wounds.

Suddenly Neymar, wearing Griezmann's jersey and his boxer briefs and nothing else, kneeled down in front of him. Lio startled, almost sliding backward off the bench he was sitting on, but then Neymar bit his lip with his canine again and Lio couldn't do anything but watch him.

"I'm sorry," Neymar said softly, pressing a bag of ice from the physios to the worst of Lio's bruises. "I didn't mean to… do whatever I did. But I thought you and Luis wanted me to go talk to An--him?"

Now Lio felt a thousand times worse. It was all supposed to be a joke. There weren't supposed to be any hurt feelings, especially not his own. "You don't have anything to be sorry for," he tried to reassure Neymar, but after that, he wasn't sure what to say. 'I don't want you to talk to him anymore because I want you?' Neymar would definitely be scared off.

"I do. I made you mad, and you _never_ get mad." Neymar shifted so he was sitting instead of kneeling, still concentrating on Lio's bruise instead of his face and gnawing on his lip. "I need to tell Luis I'm sorry, too."

"Ney," Lio sighed, finally just taking Neymar's face in his hands and tilting his head back so Lio could look at him squarely. "Don't be sorry." Neymar stared somewhere to the left of him and Lio sighed again, but couldn't say anything against it. Not being looked at was the least of the punishments he deserved. "Why don't you go meet up with Griezmann before he leaves?"

Neymar frowned and pulled away. "I don't understand you," he said softly, before he pushed himself to his feet and made his way around discarded spikes and kits to, presumably, find Luis.

Lio just watched the ice bag melt and wondered why everything he said just made things worse.  


\---

  
"Antoine!" Neymar yelled, waving his arms. He was lucky fans weren't allowed in this area of the stadium, otherwise he was sure he wouldn't be heard.

Antoine pulled his headphones off of his ears to rest around his neck and smiled, much to the delight of his teammates who immediately started to whisper amongst themselves. He set his duffle bag on the ground and met Neymar halfway between the bus and the entrances to the lower levels of the stadium.

"Hello, Ney," Antoine said brightly, and Neymar grinned right back. After his confusing half-conversation with Lio, and the fact that he couldn't find Luis _anywhere_ , he was happy to see a friendly face. "You played a good game. And you look good in my colors."

Neymar looked down and flushed when he realized that, yes, he had thought to pull some sweatpants on before he ran outside, but he was still in Antoine's jersey. "O-oh," he stammered, meeting Antoine's eyes again. "I just wanted to make sure I caught you."

"You did." Antoine stepped closer to him, enough that he had to look up to maintain eye contact, and someone wolf-whistled from behind him. Neymar tried to glance back and see who it was but Antoine's hand caught him in an imitation of Lio's hand on his cheek.

A pale imitation. Neymar tried not to think about that.

Antoine released him to search through his pockets. "Here," he said, scrawling across the back of an old boarding pass from Lyon to Madrid and then pressing it into Neymar's hands. "Next time you're in Madrid, let me know. I want to see you."

Neymar felt like he would spontaneously combust. He was never the "aggressor" when he flirted, with anyone of any gender, but he also hadn't felt this _shy_ in a long time. Not since he had first met Lio… he tried to shake thoughts of the Argentine out of his head again. "I-I want to see you, too." He clutched the boarding pass to his chest. "Maybe sometime next week? We have a break."

"Call me anytime," Antoine murmured. He leaned in just slightly, enough for Neymar to pull away if he wanted, but by God did Neymar _not_ want. Their lips met gently, and then Antoine deepened the kiss in answer to more cheers and whistles from the bus. Neymar could barely lift his arms to rest on Antoine's shoulders from how startled he was by the whole thing.

When Antoine's hands started to slip from his waist to his hips Neymar decided it was time to pull away. He didn't go far, feeling a bit dizzy from lack of air and his latent guilt. The Frenchman was so sweet and gentle with him and all he could think of was how much he angered Luis and Lio.

Speak of the devil…. Movement out of the corner of his eye, in the opposite direction of the bus where the whistles hadn't stopped, made Neymar turn his head. Luis was standing in the doorway that he exited from, arms crossed. Neymar couldn't make out his expression but he had a feeling Luis wasn't ecstatic.

"I'll call, I promise," Neymar said, and jogged back to Luis--hopefully not for an earful. He chanced a glance back toward the Atletico bus and caught Antoine waving goodbye.  


\---

  
At the end of the game, Luis had a decision to make. Neymar and Griezmann seemed preoccupied, and Lio had gone quiet again, but he needed to talk to both of them, and soon. The decision was made for him when Dani pushed him into one of the offices in the hallway leading off of the locker rooms.

"Whatever game you're playing with Neymar, stop," Dani said before Luis could even get a word out.

His first instinct was to play like he had no idea, but Dani really didn't look happy and Luis knew exactly what he was talking about. "Griezmann actually likes him, so it's not like it matters anymore."

"Not that." Dani crossed his arms over his chest. He could never really look threatening because of his generally sunny disposition and all the time that they'd spent together in close quarters, but when it came to Neymar he got incredibly protective. "You and Lio."

Now Luis genuinely didn't know anything. "You two pull shit on the rest of us all the time," he said. 

"Everyone who sees you three together knows he idolizes you, Luis. He's basically in love with you."

"No." Luis shook his head emphatically. "He's not… we’re like… no, Dani."

The Brazilian laughed aloud. "Yes, Luis. Either you two stop acting like you're interested or you do something about it. He's not going to wait for you forever."

Instead of denying it again, Luis tried a different tactic. "Has he said something to you?" Besides both playing on the same national team, they had complimentary personalities and shared a lot of secrets that the rest of the team knew they would never be privy to. Luis knew Neymar thought Dani something of an older brother, and if anyone had information on him, it would be Dani.

Unfortunately, either Neymar hadn't said anything, or Dani was an amazing liar. "It wouldn't matter if he did," he said with a brushing-off motion of his hand. "This will _not_ become a problem if I have any say in it. Fix it. _Now_." Dani opened the office door and stepped out, again before Luis could say anything.

And then Luis walked to the nearest exits to the outside of the stadium and saw, standing in the bright sun with cheers and applause behind them, Neymar and Griezmann sharing the most picturesque kiss he had ever seen. And then, to his surprise, he realized what Dani had been talking about.

When Neymar made his way over, eyes bright and a spring in his step, Luis had to consciously resist the urge to pull him inside. It would only start another fight and Neymar was probably riding high on his goal and their win and that kiss. "Ney, I'm sorry," he said without introduction.

Neymar's eyes continued to sparkle in the sunlight and he looked so open and innocent and that made everything that much worse. "I talked to Lio," Neymar began, running a hand through his hair. "What was the point of telling me that Antoine liked me if you were just going to get mad?"

Luis did usher Neymar inside then with a hand on his elbow so they weren't so out in the open. "I'm not going to say it was meant to be a joke, because you two obviously… like each other." The words tasted bitter but they were true. Neymar had the right to be with whoever he wanted, regardless of anyone else's jealousy. "We saw him looking at you and thought it would be… _interesting_ to see you two talk. And then you hit it off."

Neymar nodded slowly. "But why did Lio get so angry?" he asked.

Luis just shrugged and scuffed his heels against the floor. "We'll have to talk to him."

Neymar seemed to think for a beat, and then he threw himself at Luis with arms open. Almost a year of practice made Luis hug him back automatically, but it was still a surprise to him; at least Neymar wasn't running at him full speed like usual. "Thanks, Luis," Neymar said, squeezing him tightly. 

"Ney," Luis began, but this clearly wasn't the right time. Instead of speaking, he stroked the back of Neymar's head and kissed him just above his ear. If Dani was right, everything would work out sooner rather than later. If not… at least Neymar was happy.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Every hour that went by without a reply Neymar felt more upset until he barely wanted to come to training, but Luis insisted and after that there was no way Neymar could say no._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i've made a mistake wrt antoine/ney... i really like it now and don't really want to break them up lol
> 
> i'll just write a different story focused on them. is that a good compromise?

"You're here early," Luis said, looking down at Lio who was stretching in the grass on the pitch. Neymar stood just behind him, holding his folded yoga mat close to his chest almost like a shield.

"Just needed some air," Lio replied without glancing up.

This was the first time Neymar had seen him since their game against Atletico. When he and Luis went back down to the locker rooms, Lio had already gone home, and he wasn't replying to their messages. Almost as an afterthought, Neymar texted Antoine to ask if he got home alright, and got the sweetest message in reply wishing him a good night, even with a little heart at the end. 

Earlier, Luis had sent him something reassuring with regards to Lio. Neymar appreciated the gesture but it didn't really fix anything.

Lio had still ignored his messages. He hadn't known how much being ignored would hurt until it happened.

Every hour that went by without a reply Neymar felt more upset until he barely wanted to come to training, but Luis insisted and after that there was no way Neymar could say no. Especially since Luis had been so honest with him.

Neymar sat on the other side of Luis instead of right next to Lio like he usually did. He wasn't positive Lio wanted to talk to him, anyway, and didn't want to embarrass the both of them in front of the cameras. He did his stretches in silence, just listening to the rest of the team laughing and joking and watching Lio talk to Gerard and Luis.

He was caught staring when Lio finally looked over at him. He felt sick to his stomach and immediately averted his eyes. Neymar had thought that the situation was cleared up, and he knew that he and Luis were fine, but for some reason Lio hated him now and every time he thought about it he felt worse.

"I never congratulated you for your goal," Lio said in a light voice. Neymar squeezed his eyes closed for a moment, and then forced himself to meet Lio's gaze. He was smiling just slightly, his hair mussed like Gerard had been ruffling it. Neymar wanted to kneel at his feet again. "It was amazing, as usual."

Neymar sat up straighter on his mat. "Thank you," he said, trying to keep his voice level. "I'm glad we won."

Lio's smile dimmed and Neymar only felt worse. He stood up and rolled his mat, ignoring Luis' questioning touch on his calf, and went to start his sprints with Rafinha. If he had to pretend in front of Lio any longer he was sure he'd be physically sick.

"Ney!" Ivan shouted, running over to him before he could get to the other group. Ivan was cute and young, like a kid, so there was no way Neymar could ignore him. He wasn't even a part of the drama and it wouldn't help to give _him_ shit for a personal problem. 

"Ivan," he sighed back, mustering a smile. "What's up?"

Ivan rubbed at the nape of his neck and smiled shyly back. "You just… looked upset. Is anything wrong?"

Neymar tried not to laugh, sure that Ivan would take it the wrong way. "Kind of, but I'm working on it." That was a lie but Ivan usually took his words at face value--maybe it was something about their translation into his native language. "Thanks for asking, though.

"Oh, no problem." Ivan hugged him quickly and Neymar all but melted against him. "I hope it works out." Neymar nodded against Ivan's shoulder and regretfully pulled away.

Maybe Ivan wasn't as innocent as he looked. His gaze flickered over Neymar's shoulder, making Neymar turn curiously and come face to face with Lio who must have followed him over. When he looked back to try and rekindle conversation with Ivan, the Croatian was fifty feet away discussing something intensely with Busi. 

After a short lived moment of wry appreciation for Ivan's misdirectional skills, Neymar decided to stand his ground. "Did you want something, Lio?" he asked politely.

"I'm sorry for ignoring you," Lio quickly said, like he was afraid Neymar would run again (which, to be fair, he was considering). "I just... didn't want to say the wrong thing."

Neymar almost felt bad for him. He knew how flustered Lio could get when he actually had to tell anyone something serious. "Not now," Neymar murmured. When Lio's face fell, he was quick to clarify, "Later. After training."

Lio nodded and backed off. "Absolutely," he said. He looked like he wanted to say something else, but he just swallowed and left Neymar to himself. Although he knew he hadn't done anything wrong, Neymar felt guilty all over again.

* * *

About half an hour after their training session ended, Lio found Neymar leaning up against Gerard in the atrium, under the taller man's arm while Gerard talked with Masche. Neymar looked exhausted, eyes half closed and hands folded and still in his lap. Occasionally Gerard would run his fingers through Neymar's hair, or gently pinch the shell of his ear, and Neymar barely reacted.

Gerard glanced over at him and Lio stopped in his tracks. "Lio," he said with a smile that wasn't reassuring in the slightest; everyone knew that Gerard could rip you apart with a smile on his face. "You wanted to talk to Ney?"

"Yeah. Yes." Lio put his hands in his pockets. "I need to apologize to him."

Neymar sat up a bit more without knocking Gerard's arm away. "You don't, Lio. I just want to know what I did wrong." He sounded defeated almost, a tone Lio hadn't heard from him in a long time. "Is it because… because I like men?"

Now Gerard, Masche, and Mats, who was half-participating in the conversation, all glared at him. "Of course not," Lio was quick to deny; it would be incredibly hypocritical of him to think anything bad of Neymar for something like that when he was in love with Neymar himself. "Can I talk to you alone?"

"Why, so I won't make a scene?" Neymar dug his fingers into his jeans, staring at his hands. "If you don't like Antoine, fine, but I'm seeing him anyway. I don't have to do what you tell me."

Lio opened his mouth and said one of the most stupid things he could remember himself saying. "The only reason you talked to him in the first place was because I told you to."

Neymar looked up at him for a moment in silence. "Fuck you," he said through gritted teeth, pushing Gerard away and stalking off.

"Really?" Gerard asked rhetorically. "What is wrong with you today?"

Lio rubbed his eyes, then pushed both hands through his hair and exhaled sharply. "I don't know," he lied under his breath. Maybe he would just push Neymar to breaking with him, and he wouldn't have to worry about making their relationship worse.

"You do know," Gerard sneered back. "Ney's so blinded by his hero-worship he can't see it, but the rest of us can." He stood up, towering over Lio and making him feel even smaller than he already did. "You _think_ you want him, but you want to control him. Isn't constant praise enough?"

Lio felt his entire body go cold. "I don't want to control him, that's the last thing I want!" he denied.

"But you only want him to look at you, right?" Masche cut in, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees. "You don’t want to kiss him, but you don't want him to kiss anyone else. You don't want to _fuck_ \--"

"I don't know what to say to him," Lio interrupted hotly. They were making too much sense and he didn't want to hear it. "Everything I do makes it worse. I don't _care_ about Griezmann. I care about Neymar."

Gerard made a disbelieving noise and left them, going in the same direction as Neymar who had already disappeared out of the building. Mats wasn't looking at him any longer, but Lio could tell by the tilt of his lips that he was unhappy with the situation, even if he couldn't control it. Masche, however, had no qualms about telling Lio wrong from right.

"Tell him the truth. Don't go in circles with him." Masche rested his back against the wall and folded his arms over his chest. "Tell him you've wanted him for months and you don't know how to express your feelings."

"I don't think he'll believe me if I just--"

"Well what does he believe now?"

Lio paused. "I guess… that I don't like him? Or appreciate him?"

Masche made a 'so then' motion with his hands. "It wouldn't make anything any worse, Lio, and you know it."

Lio didn't reply. Instead, he sat where Gerard had been and put his head in his hands. "I think I ruined this," he said, voice muffled by his palms. Masche slapped him lightly on his shoulder but didn't offer up any more advice.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Neymar was on good terms with Luis, and as far as Luis knew, he and Griezmann were on _more_ than good terms. It made jealousy burn in his chest but it wasn't hard to keep it to himself. Neymar's openness and infectious excitement was attractive to a lot of people and it was only his fault for not acting on his attraction sooner._
> 
>  
> 
> _And, of course, for pushing Neymar in Griezmann's direction in the first place._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you again for all your support
> 
> please continue to tell me what you think :)

Neymar slumped lower in his seat, trying very hard not to meet Antoine's eyes. The Frenchman was smiling beatifically at him, willing to let Neymar be moody, which just made him want to be moodier. Even the bright sunshine and the prospect of an entire day off couldn't help him.

They did finally meet again, at a café on the outskirts of Madrid, as close as they could get to neutral grounds. Antoine had done nothing but be a gentleman, even pulling out Neymar's chair before he sat, and Neymar was letting the rest of his life get in the way of being happy with it. It wasn't fair to either of them.

Geri told him to do what felt right, no matter what Lio or anyone else wanted. It was _much_ more difficult than he thought it would be.

Eventually, Antoine reached across the table to take Neymar's hand, stroking down his fingers, and Neymar glanced up. "What's wrong?" he asked, only a little worry line between his eyebrows betraying his concern. His eyes seemed so clear in the sun and Neymar wanted to make this work but he knew he couldn't, not for long.

"I think we should break this off," Neymar admitted sharply. He pulled his hand away to put both in his lap, interlocking his fingers nervously. He felt simultaneously lighter and weighed down after just _saying_ it and almost didn't want to hear what Antoine had to say.

"Break what off?" Neymar frowned and almost replied until he saw Antoine's wry smirk. "That was rude. I'm sorry." Antoine leaned back in his chair, resting one arm across the back. "Any particular reason? Other than Messi?"

Neymar buried his face in his hands and shook his head. "It's not just him, I promise," he tried to explain, but Antoine grabbed his hand again and pulled it gently away from his face.

"Ney, I understand. He's your idol and, for some reason, he hates me."

"I just didn’t want this to get too deep and hurt both of us," Neymar murmured, looking at Antoine with one eye, the other still hidden. "I really like you, Antoine, but…"

Antoine smiled again like he knew something Neymar didn't. "Do you want to talk about it?" he asked.

"Why are you being so nice?" Neymar whined. "You should be telling me to fuck off!"

The Frenchman's smile only grew. "You're adorable. Who could be mean to you?"

"Every defender I've ever played against," he deadpanned in reply.

"Well." Antoine coughed nervously into his free hand and it was Neymar's turn to grin. "Other than them, I mean."

Neymar squeezed Antoine's hand gratefully. "I do want to talk about it. If you still want to listen."

"Of course." Antoine rested his chin in his free hand, elbow up on the table, looking intently at Neymar until he finally laughed. "I'm good for listening, and teaching you all the swear words Mathieu was using last game."

" _Please!_ " Neymar gasped.

* * *

Luis watched avidly as Neymar flipped a ball up over his head, turning quickly and slamming it into the net twenty yards away. Dani whistled at him and he ran in a wide circle, jumping and celebrating, until Dani caught him around the waist and spun him around.

"The match winner!" Dani was shouting as Neymar laughed, pushing ineffectively at Dani's arms. Eventually they both got too dizzy from spinning and fell to the ground, still laughing. Luis felt a rush of fondness for Neymar but didn't move forward and interrupt them, content to lean against a goalpost and watch.

Lio had no such reservations. Luis saw him clench his fists as he approached and stood up straighter, ready to intervene, but Lio stopped about a yard away from Neymar and Dani and said something that Luis couldn't catch.

Neymar immediately sobered, looking upside down at Lio with wide eyes. Dani replied before he could, his expression as cool as Neymar's was blank. Lio rubbed the back of his head and continued to look only at Neymar, reaching down with his other hand as if to help Neymar up. Neymar rolled over and pushed himself to his feet without touching Lio at all. He stood at his full height which was just an inch over Lio's on a good day, but Lio looked very small at that moment.

Luis wasn't sure what their reactions would be to one another. He heard about the incident of two days ago from Geri, who was a huge gossip and notorious for protecting Neymar. Usually he would side with Lio on internal issues, which meant the Argentine must really have been in the wrong.

Neymar was on good terms with Luis, and as far as Luis knew, he and Griezmann were on _more_ than good terms. It made jealousy burn in his chest but it wasn't hard to keep it to himself. Neymar's openness and infectious excitement was attractive to a lot of people and it was only his fault for not acting on his attraction sooner.

And, of course, for pushing Neymar in Griezmann's direction in the first place.

Lio gestured for Neymar to follow him, expression hopeful, and Neymar nodded. They left the pitch with Dani looking after them, arms crossed over his chest.

Curiosity won out over the urge to give them privacy and Luis followed them quietly down the tunnel. It was the same place they caught Neymar and Griezmann flirting; "caught" sounded strong, but Luis brushed that thought away and allowed himself to be petty.

"I'm so sorry, Ney," Lio was saying, his hands clasped behind his back and head down. "I didn't mean to say anything I did and if I could take it back, I would."

Neymar, hands shoved into the pockets of his sweatpants, pursed his lips. "I just want to know why," he said, sounding all but defeated.

Lio swallowed hard. "I-I…," he stammered. "Ney, I…."

Neymar narrowed his eyes and grit his teeth, looking as mad as he ever got off the pitch. "You're forgiven. Fuck off." He almost turned and walked back out of the tunnel, but Lio grabbed his shoulder and pushed him back against the wall, holding him in place. "Wha--?"

Luis covered his mouth with his hand to keep from alerting the both of them that he was there. Lio was leaning up, kissing Neymar not quite forcefully, but enough that there was no mistaking his intent. Neymar tentatively kissed back, gaining confidence until Luis could hear him moaning softly against Lio's mouth.

Lio broke the kiss to reach up and swipe his thumb over Neymar's lips. The younger man seemed to snap out of whatever haze he was in, backing up until he realized he was still pressed against the wall, then falling rather ungracefully onto his ass. "Fuck," he hissed, leaning the back of his skull against the wall.

Almost instantly Lio was on his knees, hands fluttering over Neymar like he didn't know what to do. "Ney," he began, but Neymar was already speaking.

"What's _wrong_ with you, Lio? I thought I understood what the _fuck_ you wanted from me but you're all over the place!" Luis had never heard Neymar talk to anyone on the team like that, least of all Lio. Even now he had stars in his eyes looking at his eternal idol but they were dimmed from anger. "I can let you u-use me, but not for this."

"Use you?" Luis knew it was much the same thing Geri and Masche said when they told him off. Truthfully Luis couldn't see it, but he supposed he was a little unperceptive and more than a bit forgiving when it came to Lio. The Argentine was shaking his head, eyes wide. "Neymar, I would never--"

'Don't dig yourself deeper,' Luis thought hard, as if he could project it into Lio's mind. It seemed to have worked, because Lio cut himself off and placed his hands very gently on Neymar's where they were planted on the floor. "What have I done to make you feel this way?" he asked, almost so softly Luis couldn't hear.

Neymar took a shuddering breath. "I've looked up to you for years, Lio. I know you're a better player than I'll ever be, and I know you deserve all the praise in the world…." Neymar looked up at the ceiling rather than at Lio. "You compliment everyone but me. And I know it’s a small thing, but…."

Lio's grip around Neymar's hands tightened and he leaned forward. "I love you," he said.

Neymar's eyes dropped back to him and just stared for a moment. "Lio," he began, then stopped.

"I should be treating you better. I should at least _respect_ you publically. You're not worth less than me, in any way. You're young and pretty and you'll go farther than me; in a year you'll be legendary, Ney, and I'll be even more proud to play with you. And proud to be in love with you." Lio took a deep breath after, Luis was pretty sure, speaking more than he ever had at once.

Luis couldn't tell if Lio was making the right decision or a mistake, especially through Neymar's shell-shocked expression, but he was happy that Lio had at least made a choice. Funnily enough, he wasn't jealous of _this_ interaction, and he didn't know what that said about him. 

Neymar blinked up at Lio, who looked back at him without backing off. Eventually Neymar leaned across the gap that separated them, pressing his lips to Lio's in another, gentler kiss.

Luis quietly made his way back to the pitch.

* * *

Neymar turned his head as Lio started to kiss down his neck, watching someone walk quickly up the stairs. The back of their head was already hidden by the sloping roof, but he caught the little number 9 on their shorts and sat up straight, almost cracking Lio's head with his shoulder. "Luis was watching us," he said in a frantic whisper.

Lio pulled back, looking at the staircase, but Luis was already gone. "Shit," he said, moving from kneeling onto the balls of his feet, and then to standing. This time Neymar did take his hands when he offered to help him up.

Of course, now Neymar knew he was the King of Gullibility and Taking Things the Wrong Way, but he couldn't help asking, "Did you… not want anyone to know about…"

Lio, who was still holding his hands, kissed him quickly to quiet him. "I want _everyone_ to know, Ney, but Luis deserves to know first."

Neymar gnawed on his lip and nodded. "Of course. Yeah." He was half convinced this whole thing was a dream, but to cover all his bases, he would go with Lio to tell Luis. He wasn't sure if he would be angry or unsurprised, because it was sometimes hard to get a read on him; it didn't change the fact that he was one of Neymar's best friends. Luis had been honest with him and he deserved honesty in return. "Should we just… go now?"

Lio had his "captain expression" on, already thinking a mile a minute. "Before it gets worse, yes. I don't want him to think we're hiding it from him."

Even after Lio's confession--which Neymar now realized he hadn't returned--Neymar felt he had the right to make Lio squirm. "Where was this thinking two days ago?" he asked meanly, dropping Lio's hands. The Argentine looked back at him, brows furrowed in distress, but Neymar couldn't hold onto his irritation for long and pressed his forehead into the warm place against Lio's neck. "Sorry," he said.

Lio's hand came up to stroke between his shoulder blades in forgiveness. "I deserve it. Come on, Ney." He led the way back up the stairs with Neymar at his heels, thoughts about Luis crowding his head.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ok so we've got mn and its time for the s
> 
> antoine will still be in here but there aren't many chapters left i think
> 
> also if it seems things happened a little fast next chapter will have more explanation


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i read through the other chapters and, i'm gonna be honest, my first thought was 'where was this going?'
> 
> so... i like this chapter, and i hope you do too. please tell me if you did or didn't. it helps
> 
> only one or two chapters left

"Luis!" Neymar called, running across the pitch to the Uruguayan. He knew the cameras would be on them if he tried to talk to Luis during training. It was unfortunate, but they would have to wait to get him alone until it was time to go home.

Instead of starting any conversation he couldn't finish, Neymar jumped on Luis' back, making both of them rock forward. Luis laughed, quickly regaining his footing and holding Neymar under his thighs. "I'm sorry you found out like that," Neymar said behind his hand, leaning forward so he was speaking into Luis' ear. 

"No worries," Luis said with a genuine smile before dropping Neymar without warning.

Lio was right behind him, though, so they just staggered for a moment; Lio stood him upright and left his hand on Neymar's shoulder. He looked at Luis worriedly, mouth twisted in a frown, but stayed silent.

"It's okay, Lio," Neymar said. "Come on, sprints."

"You're the _last_ person I would expect to hear that from," Luis said, grinning. Lio exhaled in what could have been a laugh and what could have been pure, unadulterated relief.

* * *

Neymar was proud to be one of the Carpool Team, Lio could tell. He was all smiles, bouncing between them in the back seat like a child. "Whose house are we going to?" he asked.

"No one's." Lio slowed the car to a stop at a red light, glancing back at Neymar and then over at Luis. He tried to blank his expression but with Luis looking at him so curiously he felt like he was failing. "I think we should go somewhere neutral."

Lio could practically feel Luis' confusion from the passenger seat. "Lio, I'm fine with you two. More than fine." He reached over and touched Lio's hand briefly. "There's really nothing to discuss."

Lio pressed his lips together but didn't reply. Instead, he concentrated on the road and drove them to the most out of the way café he could think of. One of the best things about Spain was how late everything was open, and another, how every shop owner was used to keeping paparazzi away. It wasn't hard to park somewhere out of the way and shepherd his friends into the small restaurant.

Neymar ordered for them, getting espressos even though they wouldn't be able to sleep at all after them. Lio wanted to kiss him looking at his bright eyes and wide smile but he held back. 

He felt a little guilty for holding back another secret from the both of them but it was unavoidable. There was no way to come to them beforehand and it wasn't really relevant until now. Lio waited until their drinks arrived (Neymar was already half done with his before it even hit the table) and then folded his hands in his lap, looking at Luis seriously.

"I talked with Dani this morning," he began softly.

Neymar looked curious; Luis, less so. His understanding dawned almost instantly. "Lio," said Luis, "It's really not like that."

"Not like what?" Neymar wasn't stupid, he knew there was something going on between the two of them even if the details weren't clear yet. Lio glanced at him guiltily.

"Dani had a talk with me and Luis. Separately." Lio felt a little sick at the prospect of telling Neymar this, imagining the disappointment on his face already. "About you."

Luis leaned forward, taking Neymar's hand where it rested on the table. "Ney, listen. It's not Dani's fault. I… like you, a lot." He huffed in frustration and all Lio could do was look down at the table. "I love you. But I'm not going to let it affect _us_ , or you and Lio. I would never."

Lio dragged his eyes away from the table and looked toward Neymar. He seemed shocked, staring at Luis like he'd never seen him before. "You… _what_?" he almost hissed.

"I'm so sorry, Ney. I promise I won't bring it up again." Luis was almost always the most composed out of the three of them but his voice was inching toward panic now. "I didn't want to tell you like this--"

"Is this some kind of sick joke?" Neymar was shaking, tears in his eyes. He wrenched his hand away from Luis and stood up, almost knocking his chair to the floor. It slammed back down on all four legs, punctuating his anger. "Why do you two insist on fucking with me? What the fuck did I do?"

Lio stood as well, grabbing Neymar's wrist and trying to quell his anger with a sincere look. "Ney, no one is fucking with you. Please sit down and listen. When has Luis ever disappointed you?"

Luis was just sitting with his head in his hands. Lio didn't think he was crying but he kept rubbing at his eyes and his breaths were shallow. Neymar touched his shoulder, and then wrapped an arm around his shoulders and kissed his temple like Luis had done so many times for him. "Are you both telling the truth?" he asked so quietly Lio could barely make it out.

It took a moment, but Luis raised his head--eyes red rimmed but dry--and nodded. "Of course. I never meant to give you a reason to _doubt_ me, but I--"

Again Neymar interrupted him, this time with a kiss to the cheek. Luis shut up instantly, looking at Neymar with wide eyes; he received a small smile in return.

Lio knew the situation wasn't entirely diffused, so he quietly took his coffee and stepped back. Neymar froze him with a glance before he could get too far. "I'll be in the car," he explained. The Brazilian turned back to Luis and Lio took that as his dismissal.

* * *

"I don't doubt you, Luis." Neymar sat back down with a soft _thump_. "I shouldn't have gotten so angry. This has been a rough couple of weeks, you know?"

Luis sighed. "I definitely know." Neymar was so warm next to him, not yet happy but certainly less mad. Luis was slightly ashamed of himself for his own breakdown and shifted his chair away from Neymar's. Neymar didn't notice at all, staring into his cup, then at the spot Lio vacated.

After a few tense seconds, Neymar closed his eyes and took a fortifying breath. "I can't say that I don’t… love you. I would be lying. Luis, you're one of my best friends, and…."

"And Lio confessed first."

"No, Luis." Neymar looked very tired. Luis regretted saying anything. "It's not about who was first. It's about _my_ feelings." He ran his hand through his hair and blinked rapidly. "Would you just _listen_?"

Luis had never been talked down to so severely by Neymar before. All he could do was nod.

"We both need to talk to Lio, alright? I'm not going to do anything with you before I get his opinion." _Which meant that there was something to do_ , Luis thought but didn't voice. "You're both so…." He made a wordless, frustrated sound. "How can I only have a relationship for eight hours and already be involved in some _fucked up_ love triangle?"

He stood up and walked out, leaving Luis to drop twenty euro on the table and follow after him. Lio was standing just outside; apparently he hadn't gone to the car yet and was just wandering in front of the café alone. Luis watched Neymar walk over to him and take his hand.

It was like when Luis eavesdropped on Lio and Neymar in the tunnel. Lio's expression was absolutely adoring, Neymar's equal parts confused and determined. Lio leaned forward and pressed the sides of their heads together like they would after a goal. He was still speaking and Neymar was nodding against him.

Neymar's shoulders dropped and he turned to Luis, gesturing him forward. He kind of felt like he was going to the gallows.

"I don't know how this is going to work, yet," Neymar said.

"But I'm willing to try." Lio reached for Luis' hand and put it together with Neymar's. "You two are cute together."

Luis stood still, Lio's two hands wrapped around his and Neymar's. "I'm not going to third wheel," he tried to explain, but Lio was quick to loosen his grip and take a step back.

"No, no, not third wheel. Just… _have_ Neymar. Sometimes," Lio said haltingly.

"No one is having me." Neymar frowned over at Lio, interlocking his and Luis' fingers and squeezing slightly. "At this rate, neither of you will _ever_ 'have' me." His expression turned accusing, flitting between both Luis and Lio. "Any more secrets that you want to share?"

Both of them shook their heads. "Hopefully not," Lio said. painfully honest; Luis was inches from actually flinching.

Neymar straightened up without releasing Luis' hand. "Take me home. I need to think about this."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks for reading :)


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> fair warning this chapter has no conflict and is just kissing and being happy
> 
> thanks for reading

Espanyol were probably the _worst_ team in the whole world. By half time Neymar was already nursing a few bruises and brushing grass out of his hair; Lio was icing his leg so he could continue in the second half without being subbed out.

"You're really alright?" Luis asked, sitting next to Neymar and gently rubbing his thumb over the back of Neymar's hand. 

Neymar looked at him fondly. It was almost two weeks since his outburst at the two of them (which he had apologized for, but his apologies were all waved away) and things were going easier than he imagined they could. It wasn't hard for the three of them to fall back into their natural friendship. And, as of now, that's all it was. Neymar accepted the occasional kiss or hand on his hip but they hadn't gone further than curious teenagers.

Neymar often watched Lio and Luis interact when they thought he wasn't looking. Once, waiting in a back room for a photoshoot to start, he saw them kiss. It was a short, rather sweet affair, but when they pulled away from each other they shook hands and laughed shyly. "Let's not try that again," Luis said under his breath, and Lio burst into another round of laughter.

"I'm fine," Neymar answered with a grin at the memory Luis didn't know he had. "You didn't get fouled as much this time, when we were away. I think Pau is concentrating on Lio this time."

Luis sighed and his mouth twisted. "I'd rather he didn't. Lio's almost as fragile as you."

Neymar pretended to pout but inside he was glowing. "I'm strong!" he insisted, leaning further into Luis' side and batting his eyelashes at him. "I can take on every defender they throw at me!"

Instead of humoring him, Luis leaned forward and pressed their mouths together. Neymar started at first, but Luis was irresistible when he wanted to be, and he melted soon enough. He sighed into their kiss, wrapping his arms around Luis' shoulders and locking his fingers in short, thick hair. 

It wasn't hot and messy like it would be if they were completely alone, but it was close enough. Luis hitched one of Neymar's legs into his lap and bent him backward until his back was pressed to the bench.

Someone cleared their throat. Luis pulled away just enough to look up, earning a protesting whine from Neymar. "What do you want, Gerard?"

Neymar sat up so quickly he and Luis nearly knocked heads. "Hi," he said shakily, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. "Um, is it time to go back out?"

Gerard smirked at them both. "Lucho was looking for you, Neymar. He wants to speak to you."

Neymar nodded quickly, disentangling himself from Luis. He wasn't embarrassed to be caught kissing him, not at all, but he was definitely embarrassed to be caught enjoying it so much. "See you on the pitch," he murmured to Luis, stealing another quick kiss, and then pushing a still-amused Gerard on his way out of the locker room.

Neymar wandered down the halls until he got to the manager's office. He was never that nervous around Luis Enrique, because while he was strict he was also willing to listen to every player and their concerns, but still. It was a little nerve wracking to be called up alone.

"Lucho?" he asked through the open door, leaning into the room.

"Ney. Come in." Lucho was leaning back in his chair, feet on his desk, laptop rested across his thighs. He closed it with a snap and put his feet on the floor, gesturing for Neymar to sit down.

He did, lowering himself into the chair across from Lucho's desk. "You wanted to see me?"

Lucho sighed, resting his elbows on his desk. "I don't like to get into your personal lives. Believe me, half of you do things... I'd rather not know about. Plausible deniability."

Neymar couldn't help but crack a smile, but he knew what Lucho was going to say. "I promise, this won't get in the way of playing," he said preemptively.

Lucho raised a hand, silencing him. "That's not the problem, Ney." He sighed again. "You're young. And... impressionable. I want to make sure that no one is... _pressuring_ you into anything--"

"No, no. Absolutely not," Neymar said with a laugh and a dismissing wave of his hand. "They're giving me more choice than most people have before."

His manager looked skeptical. "If you're sure. You can come to me if... if that changes." Neymar nodded quickly. "You're dismissed."

Neymar left the room as fast as he could, face blazing red. It was like getting the talk from his dad or something, except a thousand times worse.

* * *

"But _are_ you feeling pressured?"

Luis grinned, watching Lio flounder. He was the most worried out of the three of them regarding the whole situation. Even after knowing Neymar for almost two years, he seemed to think the younger man did whatever older members of the squad wanted him to. 

Neymar, relinquishing his hold on Luis' hand, grabbed Lio by the collar and pulled him in for a searing kiss. Luis continued to smile at them as Lio's expression turned starstruck, his eyes half-lidded like he couldn't stop staring at Neymar even as their mouths connected.

"I think that's a no," Luis said cheekily. Lio pulled back, panting, and glared at him. Neymar smirked and stroked Lio's cheek. "I'm pretty sure Neymar would resist kicking and screaming if anyone tried to make him do something he didn't want to," Luis explained. Neymar nodded emphatically but Lio still didn't look convinced.

A hand landed on Neymar's shoulder and he barely jumped. "What's up, Rafa?"

The younger Brazilian frowned down at him. "You realize we're at a formal dinner, right?" he asked, mildly disapproving.

"You want a kiss too?" Neymar pursed his lips, practically kneeling on his chair to reach Rafinha's face and smack a kiss on his cheek.

Rafinha wiped his cheek with his sleeve and stuck his tongue out at Neymar. "You're gross," he whined. "I don't know how they deal with you." Luis took Neymar's hand and pressed a kiss to his palm, arching a brow at Rafinha, who just looked disgusted at them again for a moment. "Remind me to never be in a room alone with you three."

Neymar grinned with all of his teeth. "We would let you join, if you wanted."

"I wouldn't if you paid me." Rafinha ruffled Neymar's hair, something he knew would make his fellow Brazilian grumble and pull away. Rafinha got the last laugh when he went back to his table, leaving Neymar to scowl after him.

"Why do you tease him so much?" Luis asked, letting Neymar interlock their fingers on top of the table.

Neymar shrugged one shoulder. "He's basically like my brother. I've told him a lot of things that I couldn't tell anyone else... except maybe Dani." He looked worriedly at Luis, squeezing his hand. "I don't mean--I'm not keeping secrets."

"You're allowed to have secrets, Ney," Lio said softly, resting his hand on Neymar's thigh. "You don't have to share any more than you want to."

Neymar's smile was shy then. "Thanks," he replied. He and Lio kissed again, gently, before Neymar turned to Luis--who was perfectly happy to just sit next to them and be a bit of a third wheel--and kissed him as well. "You're both lovely."

Lio ducked his head, smiling to himself. "Not as much as you," he murmured. Luis thought that summed up his own feelings nicely.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> don't worry, i haven't forgotten about antoine :)


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ha i bet yall thought i forgot abt this >: )
> 
> this is the end! woohoo! im going to read through and do some cleanup edits in a bit. i might add an epilogue some day...
> 
> thank you all for reading

Neymar sighed, kneeling up above Lio, who had both hands in his own hair and a satisfied look on his face. "You okay?" Lio asked, his words soft and unhurried.

It took a moment, but then Neymar grinned and nodded, leaning down again to brush his lips against his boyfriend's. Their lips parted and Lio pressed his tongue inexorably into Neymar's mouth, earning a pleased groan for his troubles. Surprisingly Lio's hands were more likely to wander than Neymar's and wander they did, over Neymar's spine to the small of his back, sneaking under his shirt for a moment, and then fitting his fingers into the belt loops of Neymar's low riding jeans.

They still hadn't gone farther than making out and a little heavy petting once in a while. Lio in particular seemed wary of breaking Neymar, who was definitely _not_ a virgin, and he adoringly let Lio think what he wanted. What they did now was more than enough.

After a few more minutes of lazy mixing of teeth and tongues, Neymar maneuvered one of his legs between Lio's, gently pushing his thigh up against Lio's groin. The Argentine's breath stuttered and he adjusted his hands to hold Neymar's narrow hips.

This was so much more intimate with the lights off, only early morning light through the curtains in their hotel room keeping it bright enough for them to occasionally pull away and lock eyes. Neymar couldn't help blushing hotly every time Lio's dark eyes searched his, wide and bright like he couldn't believe _Neymar_ was kissing him with such enthusiasm.

It would have been impractical for Neymar, Lio, and Luis to room together when they traveled, so they switched off. To keep them all from suffocating from every waking moment spent together, sometimes Neymar roomed with Dani or Rafinha and Luis and Lio found their own partners. Today, however, Lio had Neymar all to himself, and he wasn't about to let his opportunity go to waste.

"Do you want to do this?" Neymar breathed against Lio's jaw, another press of his leg making it clear what "this" meant. 

Lio hesitated and that was all Neymar needed to move his thigh away again. "Sorry," Lio murmured, tilting his head back to let Neymar continue kissing under his jaw and down his throat.

"Don't be." Neymar kissed Lio on the mouth one more time before he rolled off of him, propping his head up on his hand to watch lovingly as Lio touched his lips with a wondering hand. "We should have breakfast."

"With Luis," Lio added, sitting up finally. Neymar nodded seriously and leaned up to ask for another kiss. Then another kiss, and another, until Lio made an effort to stop and slide off the bed before anything else could happen. 

Despite how heated they were just a few moments ago, they showered together rather platonically, scrubbing each other's backs and kissing chastely in thanks. They brushed their teeth and did their hair in the bathroom's wide mirror; Neymar took almost twice as long as Lio did with his hair and the Argentine just grinned at him the whole time.

When Neymar finally finished and they un-mussed the much more relaxed clothing than they had worn on the plane, they left their room and Lio closed the door behind them. Lio's arm automatically wrapped around Neymar's waist and his first two fingers slid into the belt loop at the back right of Neymar's jeans possessively. Luis' room wasn't far so they took their time, Neymar tapping away on his phone and Lio trying not to glance at his hundreds of messages as he answered them.

Luis' door opened after Lio's first few knocks. He looked more than a little tired and Neymar made a worried sound, pulling away from Lio who let him go without argument. Neymar glanced over the taller man's shoulder; Luis' roommate was already out of the room, probably at breakfast or going for a run. Then he pushed Luis gently against his chest until he backed into his room, Lio right behind them.

Neymar leaned up and kissed him, wrapping his arms around Luis' shoulders and scritching one hand through his hair at the nape of his neck. "You okay?" he asked softly. Luis' hands were shoved in his own pockets but he kissed Neymar in return almost automatically. "What's wrong, Luis?" Neymar turned slightly to address Lio. "Maybe we should call breakfast upstairs."

"No, it's okay." Luis took a few steps back, extricating himself from Neymar, and looked at the floor instead of either of them. "Lio, can I talk to Neymar for a minute?"

Lio blinked in surprise. "You shouldn't ask me. Ask Ney."

Luis seemed embarrassed for his question. "You're right." His eyes flickered to Neymar, who was standing, confused, with his hands on his hips. "Sorry."

"Don't apologize," Neymar had to say again. Both of them acted like he would shatter at the wrong glance and it was getting more annoying than endearing. "Lio, we'll meet you downstairs in a little while." Lio smiled at him and, with one last look at Luis, left the room and closed the door quietly behind him.

Neymar took his other boyfriend's hand and squeezed it. "Come here," he murmured. "Let's sit on the bed, okay? Why are you so far away from me?"

Luis didn't answer but he let Neymar do as he pleased, pulling him to the bed and pressing their legs together from hip to knee. Neymar kept a firm grip on his hand, playing with his fingers and leaning slightly forward to try and look into Luis' eyes. He wasn't usually so reticent, as compared to Lio. He at least told _Neymar_ what he was thinking and feeling if he kept those things to himself with regards to the rest of the team.

"Are you having second thoughts?" Neymar finally asked, lifting Luis' hand to his lips and kissing his palm.

"No, no," Luis was quick to deny. He finally looked up at Neymar, his mouth twisted into a frown. "I mean… are you?"

Neymar hummed in understanding. He wasn't unfamiliar with feeling doubtful about his place in relationships, asking himself if his partner actually wanted him the same way he wanted them. Neymar was very physically affectionate and if his partner wasn't intimate with him in a while--even in ways that didn't relate to sex--he got very self-conscious.

"Luis, you know I really, really like you, right?" Neymar asked seriously. "I'm sticking with my first thoughts. You don't have to worry about that." He decided to voice his internal opinions in the hope that it would reassure Luis further. "Have I not been with you enough? Would you like me to _show_ you more often?"

Luis seemed even more embarrassed, picking at the leg of his jeans. "It's stupid, I know--" he began, but Neymar cut off that line of thinking quickly.

"It's not stupid. I need the same thing." He rubbed Luis' spine with his knuckles, dragging them slowly up and down until he relaxed just a bit. "Were you up all night thinking about this?"

They sat in silence for a few seconds. "Not _all_ night," Luis protested, and that was enough for Neymar.

"Next time you feel like this, come get me. You can come into my room or to my house at any time, and I'm sure Lio would understand."

"But this is your time together."

Neymar's worry turned into soft amusement. "You're not trading me off one at a time, Luis. We're just staggering the way we're rooming on away games. You're allowed to come kiss me any time you want."

Luis looked like he hadn't thought of it that way at all. He nodded once, seeming unconvinced, but Neymar knew he would win him over in time. Right now the important thing was to make it clear that Neymar wasn't favoring one of his boyfriends over the other. He didn't give Luis too much time to think about it, pulling him up by the hand and dragging him down into a hug.

"Breakfast!" he said excitedly, jumping up and down, and Luis finally smiled at him.

* * *

"You can sit next to me, you know," Rafinha murmured, adjusting his hold on his iPad while Neymar continued to wriggle around. "You don't have to sit in my lap."

Neymar's wriggling paused. "But can I?" he asked.

Rafinha sighed and gave up on watching the rest of his movie. "No, Neymar. Do you want the window seat, is that it? 'Cause you can have it."

"No," Neymar said petulantly. "I actually had a question, but now I don't want to ask."

"Good," Rafinha replied. When Neymar started to wriggle again--angry wriggling this time--he sighed and patted the back of Neymar's head. "What's the question, Ney. What's up?"

"Have you ever been in love?"

Rafinha just blinked at him. "Yeah. Yes. Why?"

Another huff and sigh but this time it sounded upset. "Is it supposed to be so confusing?" He stopped moving so much and Rafinha chanced a hand on his knee, as if Neymar would bite him if he left his hand too close for too long. 

"I don't think it's supposed to be, it just is." Neymar didn't reply. "Do you think you're in love with… you know. One of them? Lio?"

Neymar crossed his arms over his chest and sniffed disdainfully. "I don't know yet. I was just _asking_." Rafinha knew him well enough to realize he was deflecting, but if Neymar wanted to be difficult, he could do it somewhere else. Rafinha turned his iPad back on and, magnanimously, let Neymar watch too.

* * *

"It started so fast. I don't think we took time to really think about anything." Neymar sighed, sinking further into the squishy chair he picked before either Lio or Luis could get it. Again they ended up at some tiny coffee shop to talk on neutral grounds. It had been months since Neymar agreed to date both of them and really, Lio thought it was going well.

Lio tried to seem nonchalant about the whole thing, crossing his legs at the ankles and leaning back against the smooth fabric paneling of his own chair. "We did start very fast." Instead of immediately offering his opinion, Lio asked, "What are you thinking?"

Neymar looked at him appreciatively. "I'm not sure."

Luis wasn't less tactful or caring at all, but he was more likely to speak his mind frankly. "Do you think we should take a break?" he asked from the other point of their little chair triangle. Neymar picked up his mug of hot chocolate (he's still a kid, Lio thought affectionately) and shrugged his shoulders, taking a sip.

"Just an observation?" Lio asked.

"Mm." Neymar seemed preoccupied but he was giving the two of them most of his attention, looking directly at them when they spoke. He concentrated on his drink in the silence.

Lio glanced at Luis, who was pulling at the strings of his hoodie. "What are you thinking about this?" he murmured and leaned his chin in his hand, elbow planted on the arm of the chair.

"I think that me and Ney should break it off for a while." Neymar's head shot up and he almost dropped his mug. Luis didn't look at either of them. "It seems like you two have a better connection, you know? You never got a chance to be together."

Neymar shifted and toed his shoes off so he could tuck his legs up with him in the chair. "We talked about this, hm? We're not together plus you. Leaving us to 'be together' doesn't really make any sense to me."

Lio's relaxed position shifted into sitting up straight, the opposite of Neymar. "Luis, if anything I should leave you two for a while. You've always been…." Lio resisted the urge to say _better_ but that's what he meant, and that sort of proved his point. "You're more tactile, just like he is. You have these long conversations that I could never keep up with because I'm too quiet."

Neymar sighed heavily. "This is the reason I want both of you," he stressed, brows furrowed and the corners of his mouth turned down. "Because you're different. It wouldn't make any sense for me to date people that are exactly the same."

They sat in silence again while Neymar put down his drink and started on his coffee cake (Lio was hit with another pang of affection). Someone recognized them but instead of rushing over for a picture, she just smiled and waved. Neymar smiled back.

"Come over," he said, gesturing her forward. She paused, and then walked toward him, glancing between the three of them. "Do you have something for me to sign?"

"Oh, no, no," she said in Portuguese. Lio couldn't understand the rest but Neymar lit up, his grin wider when he realized she was from his country.

Eventually Neymar took off the white cap he was wearing backward and searched his backpack for a marker. He signed it with a flourish and a little message and pressed it into her hands. "No problem, no problem," he said, leaning up so they could buss each other's cheeks. Lio watched her smile into her hands as she left and felt more than happy himself.

Luis smiled too. "You're so cute," he said, and both he and Lio watched him roll his eyes, trying to seem uncaring, but his cheeks turned bright pink.

"I know you're trying to distract me." Neymar took another bite out of his cake. "If you don't have a good reason, then there's no break." The seriousness of his tone was offset by his petulant pout and the crumbs around his mouth. "All of this rotates around me! I am your sun!"

"And moon, and stars," Lio offered. Neymar turned even redder.

* * *

Antoine was actually a really good hugger, for all of his angles. Neymar didn't want to let go and Antoine didn't _let_ him go until he pulled away.

"So you're okay, then?" Antoine asked. There were Atletico eyes on them; presumably they knew that he and Antoine were no longer a thing--were they ever a thing?--and were wary of their interactions. Neymar tried to ignore them.

"Yeah, I'm fine. There's been a few new developments that I'll tell you about later." Neymar twisted the toe of his spikes against the floor. "Thank you for being so kind to me."

Antoine rolled his eyes and walked Neymar down the stairs with a hand on his shoulder into the tunnel to join the majority of their teammates. "As if anyone could do anything else."

"I'm telling you, Anto, _defenders_ ," Neymar insisted. The Frenchman just laughed at him. "No more pranks, though, so no more surprise boyfriends."

Antoine's smile softened. "Are you sure? Want to add one more to your collection?"

Neymar wasn't sure what was stranger, the fact that Antoine was alluding to knowing something about his poly relationship, or what he seemed to be offering. "Um," Neymar said in confusion. "W-we can talk about that later, I guess." The Atletico anthem was beginning to play and soon they would be rivals, but for now Neymar could wrap his arm around Antoine's waist and squeeze him affectionately.

"Sure thing," Antoine said with a grin and a wink, and Neymar shoved him away.

"I hope we crush you," he shot back, wrinkling his nose and sticking his tongue out.

Lio turned back to Neymar and tugged at the bottom edge of his shirt to pull him forward. When he locked eyes with Antoine he sneered uncharacteristically, projecting " _he's mine_ " as hard as he could without words. Neymar huffed and let himself be pulled away, not before wiggling his fingers flirtatiously at Antoine. He got a glare from Lio for his troubles but of course he couldn't keep it up and ended up pecking Neymar quickly on the lips before they reached the pitch.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ps antione was just joking ; )
> 
> edit: btw im still writing football fics!! just waiting for the season to really kick in, i gotta learn all the new players and stop crying now that dani's gone.
> 
> [also im having a lot of money trouble so ive opened commissions](http://neymami.tumblr.com/tagged/commissions/). please support me if you can, it would mean the world to me. also feel free to follow me and we can talk football any time.


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